ClayBottomFarm

@flowerpotpolly Thank you all. Have a fun and prosperous season! #britishflowers

@greenerflorist Yes, keep nostalgic tools around! Just put them in a barn or somewhere away from the production space. My advice is clearly define the production space and just keep a few (less than 20) most-used tools in that space. #britishflowers

I'm honored to be a guest at #britishflowers in a just half an hour. Lean is a powerful production system. It can give any size and type of farm a boost. Eager to hear your questions!

All we are doing is looking at the time line from the moment the customer gives us an order to the point when we collect the cash. And we are reducing that time line by removing the non-value-added wastes. --Taiichi Ohno #britishflowers

"Take care of the waste on the farm and turn it into useful channels" should be the slogan of every farmer. --George Washington Carver #britishflowers

@CFlowerFarm @thewoodlandfarm @RubyBlooms2018 Lean is about removing wastes, and I think farmers can use lean to be more sustainable. #britishflowers

@thewoodlandfarm @ClayBottomFarm @RubyBlooms2018 I hear you, I'm super conscious of my environmental sustainability, another aspect to juggle! #britishflowers

@flowerpotpolly @RubyBlooms2018 Lean says to hire out value adding tasks first--these are tasks like washing lettuce or delivering food that you know make money. Next hire out complex specialty tasks because specialists are more efficient in their trades than I am. #britishflowers

@flowerpotpolly @RubyBlooms2018 Also, I hire out jobs that aren't up my alley, like tractor maintenance. #britishflowers

@thenectarbar @pattfgarden No it is very light and ergonomical. #britishflowers

@ClayBottomFarm @pattfgarden Wow, that machine looks amazing, but is it heavy to pull? #britishflowers

@ClayBottomFarm ( time short on twitter hour) so questions fast. Which have you found your most useful tool in terms of productivity and time? We all follow a lot of American growers and share information, so rewarding #britishflowers #britishflowers

@RubyBlooms2018 Self-discipline is really key to success on a farm. I don't claim to get it perfect--I can procrastinate like anyone else!--but I do feel that business success--and my self-esteem--are tied to my ability to get jobs done on time, even ones I don't like.

@thenectarbar @pattfgarden Great question! We use a Japanese paperpot transplanter to plant. Here I'm planting green beans. These tools are all over Japanese and finding more popularity in the west. Also, I always wear articulated knee pants, like Khul! #britishflowers

@pattfgarden @ClayBottomFarm How are you not bending to plant? #holygrail! #britishflowers

@CFlowerFarm @RubyBlooms2018 I think of work in terms of 1) what is urgent and important versus 2) what is urgent and not important versus 3) what is important and not urgent. Make sense? 😀 I strive to stay in the third category. Covey talks about this... #britishflowers

@RubyBlooms2018 I write a list of everything that needs doing (it's always massive!) and then number 1_4 in terms of priority. I'm not allowed to do any other jobs until the number 1s are done. #britishflowers

There are just two activities that happen in a workplace: value-adding tasks or waste. There is no third category, and businesses that thrive understand this point. #britishflowers

@ballicherry Great question. Without getting specific, here's a tip: spread work out as much as possible. This means prepare as much as you can in the winter. For example, this week we are setting up trellising wire for tomatoes. But we won't actually use the wires til June. #britishflowers

I struggle in spring to get everything done in the cutting patch and poly tunnel and lamb 180 sheep.Any tips on making springtime work leaner? #britishflowers

@freedoms101 Yes we roll up drip tapes but only use them from two seasons. We stove larger tools on tool hooks that we place around the farm... the rule being to store tools as close as possible to their points of use. #britishflowers

@ClayBottomFarm Do you roll up your drip lines after a season is done? How do you store up the larger hand tools - rakes, shovels etc...#britishflowers

@CFlowerFarm Great question! In general, about 80 percent is farming and 20 percent is marketing and admin. Of course, lean encouraging more farming and less admin because farming where the true value is added. #britishflowers

Ben could I ask you what percentage of your time do you give to farming/marketing and admin? #britishflowers

@TeenyWeenyFarm We plan our production in the winter and again in June. This is when we talk to each of our customers and ask 3 questions: what do you want, when do you want it, and how much. The more precise we are, the better. #britishflowers

We have that we work most efficiently in 90-minute intervals. After that, and our productivity goes down. So our favorite schedule is to work two 90-minute shifts in the mornings, and one 90-minute shift in the afternoon. We get more done this way. #britishflowers

@thewoodlandfarm yes for sure, I will figure this out soon! #britishflowers

@FlowersfromtheP @TeenyWeenyFarm @flowerpotpolly Another way to put it: A tool should be in your hands or in its place. There is no third option.😀#britishflowers

@TeenyWeenyFarm @ClayBottomFarm @flowerpotpolly motto 'don't put it down, put it away' has transformed working time #notalwayssearching #britishflowers